The "Values & Interests" podcast and event series takes a deep dive into the ethical tensions and tradeoffs at the heart of decision-making across geopolitics, tech, philosophy, and business.
Explore how ethics can serve as a tool for making more reflective and responsible choices. Hear from leaders and experts who have spent their careers reckoning with critical ethical questions across their personal and professional lives. Whether facing daily decisions or tackling global issues, you’ll uncover new approaches for navigating the complex and often fraught relationship between our own values and interests.
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Soft Power in an Era of Nationalism
Latest Podcast Episode
From Ancient Rome to Tom Sawyer to Joe Nye, University of Bonn’s Hendrik W. Ohnesorge joins the Values & Interests podcast to discuss the past and present of soft power.
In an era of transactionalism and populism, why are concepts of attraction and legitimacy still essential in geopolitics? How can we identify “illiberal” or “post-liberal” soft power?
For more from Ohnesorge, watch or listen to the recording of last year’s Values & Interests live convening, “Post-Liberal American Power.”
Access Recent Events
Nuclear Ethics
We are walking a fraying nuclear tightrope in a challenging and unpredictable geopolitical environment. This expert panel and Q&A, discussing the PBS documentary "Bombhsell," was moderated by acclaimed journalist Ann Curry
U.S. Power and Principle
America’s post–World War II calculus guiding the relationship between power and principle has shifted dramatically. James Story, former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal discuss this new dynamic.
Geopolitics in an Era of AGI
As policymakers and diplomats increasingly leverage AI agents and non-state tech companies grow in power and influence in the push toward AGI, Carnegie Council assembled an expert panel to discuss the geopolitical impact of these technologies.
Post-Liberal American Power
Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power? Access the full discussion on the defunding of U.S. soft power institutions, cuts to foreign aid, and the embrace of an aggressive transactional style of diplomacy in the first months of 2025.
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Full Podcast Episodes
JUN 29, 2026 • Podcast
Soft Power in an Era of Nationalism
From ancient Rome to modern geopolitics, Hendrik W. Ohnesorge explores why soft power remains essential in an increasingly transactional age.
JUN 10, 2026 • Podcast
Hubris and the Fog of War: Unpacking the U.S.-Iran Conflict
Millions of Iranians oppose their government, but that doesn't mean they want foreign bombs. Neda Bolourchi explores the ethical gray zones of this conflict.
MAY 29, 2026 • Podcast
Democracy in Retreat
Freedom House's Yana Gorokhovskaia discusses the political and ethical stakes of two decades of global freedom decline.
MAY 14, 2026 • Podcast
Practicing Strategic Empathy and Navigating Competing Values
University of Hong Kong's Professor Brian Wong discusses U.S.-China relations and how to practice strategic empathy without succumbing to moral relativism.
MAY 6, 2026 • Podcast
Building Moral and Professional Resilience
Watch/listen to the latest "Values & Interests" podcast featuring Gilles Michaud, UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security.
APR 16, 2026 • Podcast
Geopolitics in a Fracturing World, with Aarathi Krishnan
Aarathi Krishnan, CEO of Raksha Intelligence Futures, discusses the political, economic, and technological dynamics shaping this moment of uncertainty and transition in the global system.
APR 2, 2026 • Podcast
The Gaslighting of America, with Professor Mathias Risse
What is fueling the post-truth era? Why is it working? Harvard's Mathias Risse argues that gaslighting has become a dominant rhetorical force in American politics.
MAR 2, 2026 • Podcast
Amoral American Power, with Professor Matias Spektor
From Caracas to Tehran, U.S. power is no longer justified through a narrative of liberal internationalism. Matias Spektor examines the consequences of this shift.
FEB 20, 2026 • Podcast
Keeping it Real(ism), with Assoc. Professor Paul Poast
With realism having a political moment, Paul Poast discusses the intellectual roots of the theory and how it's being applied in U.S. foreign policy.
DEC 18, 2025 • Podcast
Embracing Empathy and Responsible Power, with Dr. Claire Yorke
Dr. Claire Yorke joins "Values & Interests" to discuss how empathy can be used to build inclusive power structures, while avoiding the trap of blind idealism.